The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-07-29
Mostly From Original Documents.
BY GEO. W. ARCHER.

AT a meeting appointed by Capt Aquila Halls
company. the aSth day Of Nov, IS. were present.
Henry Vansickel, John Hall Hughes Iof whom
the first two were officers, and the other three
privates,I and proceeded to business, and unani-
mously agreed as follows, viz: LIST. That the
money raised for the support of the present war
estate. ID That II the militia should ever be
called into actual service the officers and prvates
should go on equal wages. 3D.. That the field
officers of the militia. 4th That such as cannot
bear arms through religious principle, should
proportion to the loss of time required in learning
the military art. 9Th. That the wages of each
officer and private should be at the rate of six
dollars per month. 9Th. That we do recommend
small standing army,-not SO great as TO endan-
ger our liberty. eth. We do recommend to the
Honorable Convention not to throw off our De-
pendence on the Mother country. Mote the Sig
niheant capital letters; note also that the "Asso-
referred to, and adopted in the previous July
after the bloody battle of Bunker Hill, expressed
the hope that reconciliation with Great Britain
might be effected on constitutional principles"
1t is quite likely. however, that this course was
prompted, In both instances. mainly by eXpedi-
oncyl sth. That every free taxable should have
"'''' WV ~ A HarjSrd county, Nor. 81. IT'S.
TO he Honorable C0nreitiOn Of lHdJyid5,d: The
bearer, Cuthbert Warner, gunsmith, having pro-
duced to this Committee fireock of his make
which appeared to us to be agreeable TO the pat
Congress. and as Mr.. Warner applied to us for a
sum of money to enable him to carry on the trade
OF gun-making. we do recommend him, the said
Warner, together with Isaac Bilderston, to be
sufficient for el0O common money, the value of
which sum they Will nay TO your order in good
firelocks on or before the LIST March, l776."
The above communication, which is not signed
though, no doubt, signed copy was sent
an,edates. several months. any other which can
find abiding to the manufacture of guns in any
part of the province for the use thereof. There
Ia nothing to show that a contract was made with
the Committee int1
with Isaac Thomas, John Cunningham, and
Samuel Smith, all of Hartford county, "for maxi
ing parcel of muskets with steel Tamrods and
bayOnets." mention these facts mainly TO cor
rect q statement in JOhnson's History Of Cecil
county. that similar agreement made by the
county, May I'D, rs. was the first contract of the
kind made in the province.
county: Gentlemen Enclosed is the enrolment
of my company, and our Association paper.
Both documents are missing II It passes the
at Annapolis. Your most humble Serv't,
Dec. %, 11I5. THOs. BOND.
"RtsolUed, That 1t be recommended to the sew
eral Assemblies, Conventions, Councils. or Com
mittees of Safety OF the respective colonies to
ascertain by the most impartial and effectual
mt ans in their power. the number of inhabitants
In each respective colony: taking care that the
persons who shall be entrusted with this service;
and that the said Assemblies, Conventions, Coun-
ellis or Committees OF Safety, do respectively lay
before this Congress return of the number Of
Inhabitants of their respective colonies as soon
as the same shall be procured.
Extract from the Minutes
Chas. Thomson. Src'y.
40 tie Gentlemen Of he Committee Of Hd,fOrd
County: You are desired to send for Andrew
Maklnsen, Sen'r, of this county to give in his ap
probation ian old word, meaning prOQrl TO you
concerning some candestine actionsot Jonathan
Powman, of Baltimore county, and Edward Nor
rls (of Joseph of this county.
BY the request of rhos Bond Esq,
Dec. 90 l715. ftrms. RoG'T AMoss;"
April O, 1870.
"GeaAemsn: Mr. Edward Norris hath sent me
word that he will attend the Committee on Mon
day nex: and that he hath not kept out of the
way from any design. and that what was reported
am, gentlemen, your humble sery't,
40 he Honorable Committed Of HdIf0Id tOuafv |
non sitting: hope that my fault which stand |
accused of before you is not 20 great but that |
YOU may find some lenity for me as subject al |
though am not an assocator. 1t was not in my |
power to come before you at the time appointed. |
Before / was sent for, understood that nothing |
would serve for my hard fate but to be confined |
10 jail without any relief. which thought very |
hard sentence on free born man, without any |
known fault more than being a non assocIator, |
of which there Is many others as well as myself |
who hath not signed. know of none which has |
been treated in the same form as have been {; |
for some have declared to take my life, for no |
reason lcausel by me given to them who have
wRylaid my home with loaded guns and toma-
hawks which gives me great reason to believe |
that their intent may be murder, and not by your |
order for some have come out of York county, |
in Pennsylvania and tor what cause know not |
for have not given any cause to them nor any |
other person to threaten my life. neither by word
nor action, neither day or night which, gentle
men, hope you will take 1t into consideration |
whether am to be driven from my home, and |
wife, and children, aud all that | have, only |
through spite of some envous persons. | think |
have seen In the resolves of the Congress that
non-associator is not 10 have any i'll treatment,
but should be treated as a felow-subiect. AS
for the fine, have not the money to pay II but
l have property which may be enough for to pay |
so much. Therefore, as no one can prove any
thing against me, l hope that, Gentlemen OF |
honor as you are, that you'll pardon my past
offence. l. am Gentlemen,
July 20, lTIG. your Humble Serv't,
EDWARD NORRIS"
The sufferings of this particular non-assoca-
tor, from December 10 July, I'VE know not how
much longer,) from incessant petty annoyances
to himself and family, and from constant appre-
hension of something far worse, may be more
easily imagined than described. a six-months'
open campaign in either army would have been
mere childs play in comparison. Surely, for eff
fectlveness In bringing recusant into line, this
social and political ostracism, supplemented with
gums and tomahawks," must wel-niRh have
equalled the inquisitorial appliances of the dark
a ges. A good many others in this county-as,
ind eed, in all the counties of the provnce-o of
Mr.. Norris way of thinking, no doubt suffered
quite as keeny.